On Monday, Akron City Council approved a measure to transfer title for the Rubber Bowl from the Summit County Land Bank to the city, so it can move forward in tearing down the iconic stadium where the University of Akron football team once played.

The city has applied for a state grant to cover half of the cost of demolition but has not heard back yet, said Chief of Staff James Hardy. Louisville-based Eslich Wrecking Co., which demolished Rolling Acres mall, estimated demolition of the Rubber Bowl at $400,000.

If the state awards the grant, Akron and the county have agreed to split the remaining amount, with each paying $100,000. The city's portion of the demolition is currently included in the capital budget, which has not yet been approved by city council.

Through last August, Team 1 Marketing Group was the Rubber Bowl's owners. Team 1 bought the Rubber Bowl in 2013 from the University of Akron for $38,000. Originally, owners, Bill Dunn and Sean Mason planned to turn the venue into the home of a United States Football League franchise. But when the football league's top management was charged with embezzlement, Team 1 began looking at other uses.

Eventually Team 1 settled on creating an entertainment venue. With a 32,000-seat capacity, the Rubber Bowl could offer music, sports and theatrical events, and host two large music festivals each year. Team 1 also hoped to draw more recreational facilities to the immediate area near Derby Downs and the Akron-Fulton Airport, to complement the nearby Akron Skate Park.

"Unfortunately, the plans didn't come to pass," said Bob Hoch, Akron City councilman for Ward 6, where the Rubber Bowl is located.

What did come to pass was an unexpected tax bill. According to Team 1's attorney Bill Corgan, Dunn and Mason believed they had a verbal agreement with Summit County's late Executive Russ Pry about a tax abatement. After Pry died in 2016, Summit County assessed taxes on the Rubber Bowl based on a value of $2.3 million. Team 1's tax bill was nearly $200,000.

Last August, Team 1 agreed to turn the property over to the land bank rather than face foreclosure.

Hoch acknowledges the community has "mixed feelings" about the Rubber Bowl. Although it is considered a nuisance and a danger to trespassers, many residents have fond memories of competing in sporting events there and seeing their first concerts there, which included big-name acts like the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead, Simon & Garfunkel, Van Halen and Bon Jovi.

At-large City Councilman Jeff Fusco remembers playing the Rubber Bowl as a member of the St. Vincent-St. Mary football team. He also remembers attending the popular "Turkey Day Game" each year, which showcased Akron high school football teams.

"That place used to be full," Fusco said. "There are a lot of old guys walking around with bad knees who played in that game every Thanksgiving Day."

But over the past couple years, with no good way to secure the stadium, the city has logged dozens of complaints and the Akron Police have handed out numerous citations, as vandals have repeatedly broken into the stadium, destroying what's left of it and setting parts on fire, Hoch said.

"We've been lucky so far that no one's been hurt," Hoch said. "There are a number of things throughout the city that have been part of our history and they've either had to change or they've gone away and something else has taken their place. It's time to move on."